SWANNY'S WORLD OF SPORT: Brownlee good, but Biles better than Bolt? What nonsense

Simone Biles was an unworthy winner of Overseas Sports Personality of the Year prize.

Triathlete Alistair Brownlee’s interview during the BBC event last weekend livened up a dull couple of hours. He was witty, gracious and grateful. It’s about time someone with a personality won so let’s hope he has a 2017 to match his 2016.

For once the BBC has shown some great live sport in 2016. They broadcast the Olympics and most of Andy Murray’s golden year for a start.

And yet they still decided the vast majority of their near two-and-a-half hour Sports Personality of the Year show should be devoted to banal interviews by suck-up presenters rather than to glorious action.

Alistair Brownlee collected his Sports Personality of the Year runners-up award from Prince William.

There was even only a glimpse of 1/9 favourite Andy Murray.

I was pleased that total gent Claudio Ranieri was named coach of the year, less pleased that his Leicester City side beat our Olympic heroes to the team prize.

And as for USA gymnast Simone Biles beating Usain Bolt to the overseas prize, words fail me (apart from the words ‘politically correct nonsense’).

GOOD TO SEE BRUM BEATEN

Gianfranco Zola is a poor choice to be manager of Birmingham City.

Most pleasing football result from last weekend was Birmingham City 1, Brighton 2. It’s not a game I’d normally show any interest in, but the disgraceful sacking of Blues boss Gary Rowett in favour of serial managerial loser Gianfranco Zola made a difference. Is Rowett the first manager to be sacked for not being famous enough?

NERVOUS ABOUT THE ASHES

I’m already nervous about the 2017-18 Ashes. Australia are ordinary, but England have no right to be complacent. There’s no way Jimmy Anderson will be fit to play a full part in a five-Test series, and Stuart Broad probably won’t be either. And England, like Australia, lack an average Test match slow bowler.